Gagen Blog

The IT world is still thrumming with excitement over the latest disruptive technologies explored at this year’s Gartner Symposium / ITxpo. From artificial intelligence, to blockchain, quantum computing, digital twins and continuous adaptive security, the possibilities are thrilling. Underneath this excitement, however, hummed a different feeling entirely. As drivers of digital transformation, CIOs in the audience know that these breakthrough innovations all require change.

Think back a decade. Think back to the world of travel before Airbnb, transportation before Uber, office space before WeWork, entertainment before Netflix streaming, communication before the iPhone, and Amazon before Kindle, Instant Video, Echo, Zappos, Whole Foods, S3, Fire, and Alexa. Think about what the last decade has proven possible – and the industries that have been revolutionized – and then imagine what’s to come in the years ahead.

It’s no secret that today’s leading businesses are turning to purpose to articulate their mission, power growth, unite and motivate the organization, and become future-ready in a world of non-stop change. Study after study confirms purpose’s impact on the bottom line. Companies can and should use purpose intentionally to figure out how to run their businesses.

Leading through disruption requires a special kind of leader. Today’s leaders must not only be proficient in change management, but also conscious of their own cognitive biases so they can interpret data and the mood of their team accurately. Leaders can become their own worst enemy when working with or leading a team. In approaching…

PR News has named Gagen MacDonald consultant Amy Dietz a Rising PR Star in the 2018 PR News’ PR People Awards. The annual event celebrates budding PR leaders who, day in and day out, make communications matter in the marketplace.

No matter the nature of a company today, the unprecedented rate of external and internal disruptors is clear. With these constantly increasing and varied forces, organizations are required to transform more frequently than ever before to stay both competitive and profitable, while also attracting the best talent. So, can a company effectively transform a culture amidst disruption? What does that look like?

In an effort to help clients prepare for and seize opportunities created by massive global disruption, four major consultancies have announced a transformative joint offering born of a research-driven point of view that curious companies are more agile, and therefore better positioned for success. The integrated partnership includes APCO Worldwide, Gagen MacDonald, Oxford Analytica and the Boswell Group.

As instinctive as it can be to define a personal purpose, when it comes to defining a company’s purpose, I’ve seen many leaders face what I’ll call a “purpose paralysis.” Creating a purpose can be a daunting exercise, and therefore even brushed off. But leaders: don’t be paralyzed. I want you to know that you can do it—and that you must. Let’s get some collective peace of mind about purpose. Here are some of the biggest myths I encounter about purpose today.

In PR News' April 3, 2018 edition, Patricia Bayerlein of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Measurement Commission wrote about the importance of creating engaging employee experiences, which boost internal engagement and profitability. Companies with engaged employees, she wrote, see a 29 percent increase in operating income, according to Aon Hewitt, the global consulting firm.

In our hyperconnected world, it can feel like we’re plugged-in and on-the-go around the clock. Like many of us, I keep a busy schedule and it’s easy to feel worn out. When I feel this burnout occurring, I loop back to an insight based not only on my own experience, but scores of research over the years: happiness doesn’t come from our circumstances, but rather how we choose to view our circumstances. Happiness is a mindset and a choice.